Quarterback Hendon Hooker has left something to be desired for the Detroit Lions since the team selected him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. That didn’t change when the team concluded its 2025 preseason schedule Saturday.
Although he also defended the quarterback, Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted to reporters while discussing the quarterback’s potential 2025 role that Hooker wasn’t particularly stellar in the preseason finale.
“Look, I wish Hooker, and I know he does, would have had a little bit better outing,” said Campbell.
“But it’s also, you’ve got to take it with a grain of salt. It’s not like he was playing with our first O-line out there or first-team skilled positions, all of that. You take all of that into account as well. I thought he was prepared. I thought he was ready. He looked pretty calm. Just circumstances didn’t work out today, that’s all.”
Hooker completed six of 11 passes for 70 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in his final 2025 preseason game. He averaged 6.4 yards per pass while fellow Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen averaged 13.2 yards per attempt.
Allen went 5-for-5 with 66 yards and a touchdown.
Does Lions QB Hendon Hooker Need Change of Scenery?
Campbell stopped short of saying Hooker needs a fresh start with another team. But he brought up the possibility while discussing the 27-year-old quarterback.
It seemed like the Lions head coach wanted to get everything out in the open on Hooker during his postgame press conference. Campbell received a more general question about the philosophy of keeping a third quarterback on the roster. In response, Campbell made it clear that his answer pertained to Hooker.
“How much development do you believe there is. Alright. Because look, we’re talking about Hooker right now,” said Campbell.
“How much development do you believe there still is. Sometimes, does a player need a change of scenery?”
While Campbell didn’t directly state Hooker could use a change of scenery, the head coach bringing up that phrase in an answer about the quarterback isn’t the best sign. It’s definitely not what a player wants to hear days before a team has to reduce its roster from 90 players to 53.
NFL teams must cut their rosters to 53 players by 4 pm ET on Tuesday.
Detroit’s most-recent depth chart listed Hooker as the backup quarterback to Jared Goff. But more than likely, the Lions will enter the regular season with Goff and Allen as their top two quarterbacks.
The question then becomes whether or not the team retains Hooker as a third-team signal-caller.
The Rest of Detroit’s Roster Could Determine Hooker’s Future
If Hooker had played better, there likely would have been little question about whether the Lions should keep a third quarterback.
But because he didn’t perform better, Hooker’s fate is no longer completely in his hands.
In addition to evaluating if there’s potential for more development from Hooker, it sounds as though how the rest of the Lions roster cuts unfold will impact Detroit’s ability to keep the quarterback.
“Maybe there’s room to grow. Okay, well is that worth it for the depth that we need at O-line, D-line, receiver, DB,” Campbell added. “And so, those are all things you’ve got to weigh.”
The Lions selected Hooker at No. 68 overall in the third round two years ago. He missed his entire rookie season while recovering from an ACL injury he sustained during college.
Last season, Hooker appeared in three games, completing 6 of 9 passes for 62 yards.
This preseason, he went 22-for-40 (55% completion percentage) while averaging just 4.7 yards per pass. Hooker also had no touchdowns and three interceptions.
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